BlackBerry CEO sees deals with Chinese bidders unlikely due to government scrutiny
BlackBerry Ltd. (NASDAQ:BBRY) will have little success closing a deal with a Chinese entity, the company's chief executive noted, according to a newswire report.
CEO John Chen told Bloomberg that he didn't think Western governments would allow such a deal to go through because they rely on the company's phones. In the interview, Chen downplayed previously reported rumors that Lenovo Group Ltd. would make a bid for the Canada-based mobile phone maker.
"We probably are unable to do that," Chen noted. "One of our biggest install bases is government in the so-called Five Eyes countries where governments share intelligence. I think there will be a lot of regulatory issues and concerns."
Although Chen has publicly mentioned potential deals with Chinese firms in the past, according to the report, no such deals are currently being seriously considered.